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Hydrology Professional Development Series (PDS) 3 : Manage a Hydrology Program

PDS Statement of Responsibility : Manage the WFO hydrology program with integrated resources and tools to provide accurate and timely information for partners and the public.

Executive Producer(s):
Kate Abshire - Water Resources/Analysis, Forecast and Support Office/ NWS.

Description of the Area of Responsibility : In support of hydrologic forecast and warning operations, managing the WFO hydrology program ensures the integrity and relevancy of NWS hydrologic services for partners and users. The Hydrology Program Manager (HPM) provides WFO hydrologic leadership, expertise and outreach for flooding, drought, water supply and other local hydrologic issues. Duties are to build and maintain situational awareness and coordination between RFCs and partner agencies as well as maintain the local data program, conduct field work, and configure software. Responsibilities also include training staff to support delivery of NWS hydrologic information during normal and backup operations in addition to gathering and analyzing post event information to improve services.

List of Professional Competency Units (PCUs): In support of hydrologic forecast and warning operations, managing the hydrology program ensures the integrity and relevancy of NWS hydrologic services for partners and users.
  • Lead and conduct WFO Hydrologic Outreach
  • Identify, plan and coordinate changes in the WFO hydrology program
  • Maintain WFO hydrology database and software applications
  • Conduct field work to support WFO hydrology programs
  • Analyze and Verify WFO Hydrologic Events

PCU 5: Analyze and Verify WFO Hydrologic Events


Producers:
Jill Hardy - WDTD, jill.hardy@noaa.gov
Dave Cokely - NWSTC, dave.cokely@noaa.gov

SMEs:
Britt Westergard - ALY - WFO Albany, NY - britt.westergard@noaa.gov
Mary Lamm - PAH - WFO Paducah, KY - mary.lamm@noaa.gov
Michael Garrison - BMX - WFO Birmingham, AL - michael.garrison@noaa.gov

Description of Job Competency to be Achieved :
Analyze and perform verification of WFO hydrologic events, both high- and low-flow, to ensure a complete investigation of these events. This will improve data collection, forecast and warning operations, and internal and external collaboration in flood, drought, and normal conditions.

Description of Need :
Documenting details in flow patterns during high- or low-water events can lead to improvements in forecast crests, low-water minima, and their timing. Collecting and verifying all available precipitation reports, river reports, and high- or low-water impacts during an event and post-event are critical to improved analysis of the scope and magnitude of the flood or drought event. Improved data may lead to more accurate downstream and inundation forecasts and impact statements during current events and for all locations with future events.

Abilities/Performance Elements:

Ability 1.
Perform verification of river crests and low-water minima for flood, flash flood, and low-water events.
    Skill 1.1.
    Confirm local office crests or minima values for events at gaged sites.

    Skill 1.2.
    Confirm preliminary and final crests and minima with gage owners.

    Skill 1.3.
    Determine crests or minima values and associated impacts for ungaged sites.

    Skill 1.4.
    Coordinate and compare local office crests or minima with appropriate RFCs.

    Skill 1.5.
    Update changes in Crest History table in IHFS database and ensure data are plotted appropriately on AHPS.
    • IC Title: Weather Forecast Office Hydrologic Reporting Present
    • Type: NWS Instruction - Reference and requirements
    • URL/location: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/directives/sym/pd01009024curr.pdf
    • Description: The HPM is responsible for overall quality of the information stored in the IHFS-DB. Information in the database fields identified below summarizes a river/stream location’s description and history. Filling in these fields is required for all river/stream locations used in any part of the NWS Hydrologic Services Program regardless of who operates the gaging station. If it is impossible to obtain information for a field, it may be left unpopulated.
    Skill 1.6.
    Archive observed and forecast time series before it is deleted from the database.


Ability 2.
Document event impacts.
    Skill 2.1.
    Capture data from Emergency Managers, media, law enforcement, and other sources conducted using various technologies.

    Skill 2.2.
    Capture data and impacts from low-water events.

    Skill 2.3.
    Compare flood inundation maps when available to areal flood extent.

    Skill 2.4.
    Compare and update reports to impacts stored in IHFS database and used by RiverPro.
    • IC Title: AWIPS-2 WHFS Focal Point Introduction
    • Type: Formal Training (in LMS)
    • URL/location:https://doc.csod.com
    • Description: This course provides detailed instruction on the management of hydrologic software associated with the WHFS database and AWIPS. The course builds on the basic proficiency gained in the intro WHFS course and utilizes hands-on instruction in the setup and implementation of the different software. It also demonstrates training methods used in an operational setting by Hydrology Focal Points.
    • Length: 4 hours


Ability 3.
Verify that WFO hydrology products were issued according to policy.
    Skill 3.1.
    Confirm that products were issued in a timely fashion and review available and appropriate statistics.
    • IC Title: Introduction to Verification of Hydrologic Forecasts
    • Type: Formal Training (in LMS)
    • URL/location: https://doc.csod.com
    • Description: A comprehensive description of a set of common verification measures for hydrologic forecasts, both deterministic and probabilistic.
    • Length: 2 hours
    • IC Title: Techniques in Hydrologic Forecast Verification
    • Type: Formal Training (in LMS)
    • URL/location: https://doc.csod.com
    • Description: This module demonstrates techniques for developing a hydrologic forecast verification effort. The module Introduction to Verification of Hydrologic Forecasts is a useful prerequisite.
    • Length: 1.5 hours
    • IC Title: River Flood Warning Verification Program
    • Type: Formal Training (in LMS)
    • URL/location: https://doc.csod.com
    • Description: This module describes the river flood warning verification program developed by the NWS Performance Branch. The topics covered are: (1) Purpose and brief history of the river flood warning verification., (2) how the warning and events used in the verification are collected, (3) verification methodology and (4) how to run verification reports.
    • Length: 21 minutes
    Skill 3.2.
    Verify that products meet NWS Directive requirements.
    • IC Title: Flash Flood Warning Fundamentals
    • Type: Formal Training (in LMS)
    • URL/location: https://doc.csod.com
    • IC Title: Flash Flood Emergency Overview
    • Type: Formal Training (in LMS)
    • URL/location: https://doc.csod.com
    • IC Title: Hydro Products Decision Tree
    • Type: Formal Training (in LMS)
    • URL/location: https://doc.csod.com
    Skill 3.3.
    Confirm that current products post correctly to AHPS.
    • IC Title: WHFS User River Monitor
    • Type: Formal Training (in LMS)
    • URL/location: https://doc.csod.com
    • Description: RiverMonitor is a graphical tool for monitoring the hydrologic situation within the area of responsibility. This includes both observed and forecast river stages as well as pending product expiration times. The product expiration times have become a more pressing issue in the VTEC (Valid Time Event Code) era of issuing products. This course describes and explains how to use the River Monitor application interface at a WFO.
    • Length: 30 minutes


Ability 4.
Determine and analyze flood and flash flood prone locations within the Hydrologic Service Area (HSA).
    Skill 4.1.
    Define the physiographic conditions favorable for flooding and flash flooding.
    • IC Title: Flash Flood Processes
    • Type: Formal Training (in LMS)
    • URL/location: https://doc.csod.com
    • Description: Introduction to the distinguishing features of flash floods, the underlying hydrologic influences and the use of flash flood guidance (FFG) products.
    • Length: 60 minutes
    Skill 4.2.
    Identify and define the nature of flood and flash flood events and seasonal variations.
    • IC Title: Flash Flood Processes
    • Type: Formal Training (in LMS)
    • URL/location: https://doc.csod.com
    • Description: Introduction to the distinguishing features of flash floods, the underlying hydrologic influences and the use of flash flood guidance (FFG) products.
    • Length: 60 minutes
    Skill 4.3.
    Identify and explain the relationship between stream gages to their specific reach of the river
    • IC Title: Hydro Program Managers Course
    • Type: Formal Training (in LMS) and NWSTC in-house
    • URL/location: https://training.weather.gov/nwstc/Hydrology/hpm/index.html
    • Description: The course covers field work, collaboration with partners, dealing with the media, and brief overview of the WHFS software on AWIPS.The goal of this online prerequisite course is to provide an overview of the duties of a Hydrology Program Manager in the NWS and a guided exploration of related directives.
    • Length: 3.5 days in-house plus prereq coursework
    Skill 4.4.
    Determine and evaluate impacts within flood and flash flood prone areas
    • IC Title: Flash Flood Processes
    • Type: Formal Training (in LMS)
    • URL/location: https://doc.csod.com
    • Description: An introduction to the distinguishing features of flash floods, the underlying hydrologic influences and the use of flash flood guidance (FFG) products. Also provides an introduction to the use of flash flood guidance (FFG) products including derivation from ThreshR and rainfall-runoff curves as well as current strengths and limitations.
    • Length: 60 minutes
    • IC Title: Flash Flood Case Studies
    • Type: Formal Training (in LMS)
    • URL/location: https://doc.csod.com
    • Description: Review of seven case studies of flash flood events that occurred in the conterminous U.S. between 2003 and 2006.
    • Length: 60 minutes
    Skill 4.5.
    Coordinate flood inundation mapping projects.

    Skill 4.6.
    Define the uses and limitation of generated FFG values.
    • IC Title: Flash Flood Processes
    • Type: Formal Training (in LMS)
    • URL/location: https://doc.csod.com
    • Description: Introduction to the distinguishing features of flash floods, the underlying hydrologic influences and the use of flash flood guidance (FFG) products.
    • Length: 60 minutes


Ability 5.
Identify and define flash flood threat in CWA
    Skill 5.1.
    Identify and collaborate with persons of interest who may be impacted by area flash flooding.

    Skill 5.2.
    Collaborate and coordinate with persons of interest on appropriate product category and issuance.


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